Aircraft wings are provided with aerodynamic devices that improve the wing's low airspeed aerodynamics. In preferred embodiments, the aircraft wings include a slat operatively positioned at the wing's leading edge for movement between a retracted position for relatively high airspeed aircraft operations, and a deployed position for relatively low airspeed aircraft operations. An aerodynamic device is positionally fixed to the wing laterally adjacent the leading edge slat, the device having a forward end extending forwardly of the wing leading edge. The device is operable in response to movement of the slat into the deployed position thereof so as to improve the aerodynamics of the wing at low airspeed aircraft operations, but provides substantially no aerodynamic improvement when the slat is in the retracted position thereof during high airspeed aircraft operations.
The device is preferably positionally fixed to the wing adjacent an inboard edge of the slat. In especially preferred embodiments, the device is positionally fixed to the wing between the inboard edge of the slat and a wing-fuselage fairing.
The device according to certain implementations is preferably in the form of a substantially planar structure having arcuately rounded upper and lower edges. In this regard, some embodiments will include a device wherein each of the upper and lower edges is arcuately rounded about a radius of curvature that is substantially the same. Alternatively, the device may have asymmetrically curved upper and lower edges, that is wherein each of the upper and lower edges is arcuately rounded about a radius of curvature that is different. In such an embodiment the radius of curvature of the bottom edge is preferably greater than the radius of curvature of the upper edge.
These and other features and advantages will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative implementations in conjunction with the drawings.